House reverses plan, will not return to Washington next week

House leaders on Tuesday reversed course on plans to bring the chamber back into session next week amid fears about whether it is safe to return to the Capitol during the coronavirus pandemic.

Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) announced the change in plans after initially saying the day before that the House would return the following Monday, citing discussions with the Capitol physician, who warned that the Washington region has not yet flattened its number of coronavirus cases.

"We will not be meeting next week," Hoyer told reporters. "The House physician's view was that there was a risk to members that was one he would not recommend taking."

Hoyer said that House leaders will instead wait to call members back to Washington when the next round of coronavirus relief legislation is ready for a vote. House members have gathered en masse in the Capitol twice in the last several weeks since the social distancing restrictions began to vote on bills to respond to the crisis, but only returned in session for a day at a time.

Hoyer acknowledged that it would be more "dangerous" for lawmakers to stay in Washington for extended amounts of time, like they typically do, than it is for members to be in the Capitol for a short period of time.

"So under those circumstances, we have decided that we will not come back next week, but we will come back very soon to pass the [next] piece of legislation. And at that point in time, we will be asking members to return to Washington," Hoyer said.

A bipartisan task force including Hoyer, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and the leaders of the Rules and the Administration committees have been discussing ways to conduct votes and committee business virtually while it remains unsafe for lawmakers and staff to gather in large groups. Hoyer said that the group would be in talks later Tuesday on potential options.

"We are going to be working in the interim on trying to facilitate committees meeting in a real way, but virtually, and provisions for the House of the Representatives to meet if in fact members cannot come back because of the virus," Hoyer said.

The Senate is still planning to reconvene in May. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said on Monday that the upper chamber would reconvene the next Monday and "modify routines in ways that are smart and safe." A McConnell spokesman confirmed on Tuesday that plans for the Senate had not changed.

Washington, D.C., remains under a stay-at-home order through at least May 15, along with many other states from which lawmakers would be traveling.

House officials established new safety protocols for the votes last week on an interim coronavirus relief bill to renew funds for the small business loan program and hospitals, as well as a measure to create a select committee to oversee the federal coronavirus response. The votes were staggered so that lawmakers voted in smaller groups based on alphabetical order.

Guidance from House officials that everyone wear face masks had mixed results. Most members of both parties wore masks, but some GOP lawmakers opted to forgo the advice.

Hoyer and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told Democrats on a conference call on Monday that they planned to proceed with a vote on allowing a form of remote voting regardless of whether Republicans get on board with the plan.

House Democratic leaders have warmed to the idea of allowing proxy voting, in which absent members could authorize other members physically present in the Capitol to cast votes on their behalf. They initially planned to put the rule change up for a vote last week but called it off following pushback from Republicans, who argued that lawmakers should still be voting in person during the pandemic.

IDEA: CREATE VIRTUAL CONGRESS TO STOP WITH BUSINESS AS USUAL WITH TELECOMMUTING PLAN

Close Capitol Staff Buildings and other government properties in DC. Monies generated from sale and eliminated maintenance designated to national treasury.

DONATE Capitol Bldg to Smithsonian to be used only for Inauguration, State of the Union or to declare war.
Mandate agencies be combined in 2 office buildings with other unused properties sold or developed to be used: house homeless veterans, retirement or skilled care condominiums or federally subsidized housing for welfare recipients and enlarge Arlington Cemetery.

NOTE: Federal agencies own nearly half a million buildings, occupying 3.3 billion square feet. “The buildings alone represent enough space to fit 1.4 million average-sized new American homes.A 2009 government report by the Federal Real Property Council indicates that the agencies themselves don’t even know how to use that much space. Of the 429,000 federal buildings, about 11 percent were underutilized in 2009. The definition for under-utilization varies by building type, but the data indicates that 15 percent to 50 percent of the underutilized buildings’ capacity is simply not being used. Even more egregious, about 2.4 percent of federal buildings — more than 10,000 — are designated as excess buildings, which means they have been “formally identified as having no further program use.”

FEDERAL WASTE: buildings generate real operation and maintenance costs. In 2009 alone, the cost of maintaining federal excess buildings was $134 million, and the operating cost of underutilized buildings was $1.7 billion. The additional waste associated with the unused capacity of underutilized buildings is between $250 and $830 million YEARLY!
https://www.aei.org/publication/the-governments-property-bloat/

COLLATERAL SAVINGS:
1. Little to no transportation per Representative/Senator.
2. Hold town hall meetings every Monday throughout own state.
3. Use of electronic communication for voting, committee meetings, etc. open to Sunshine Laws
4. No need for Senator & Representative duplication of housing, offices, staff
5. More environmental ‘friendly’ reducing: paper waste, reduction electricity,
6. Eliminate Congressional travel expense.
7. One-Third of Federal Government less vulnerable to Washington D.C. terrorist attack

POLITICAL BENEFITS:
1. Reduce lobbyists control over government
2. Representatives/Senators more responsive to their constituents
3. Increase accountability while reducing moral temptations for Representatives/Senators

March 22, 2013, 10:22 pm GOP lawmaker seeks ‘virtual Congress’ By Jennifer Martinez
Rep. Steve Pearce (R-N.M.) wants to create a “virtual Congress,” where lawmakers would leverage videoconferencing and other remote work technology to conduct their daily duties in Washington from their home districts. Under a resolution Pearce introduced on Thursday, lawmakers would be able to hold hearings, debate and vote on legislation virtually from their district offices.

“Thanks to modern technology, members of Congress can debate, vote, and carry out their constitutional duties without having to leave the accountability and personal contact of their congressional districts. Keeping legislators closer to the people we represent would pull back Washington’s curtain and allow constituents to see and feel, first-hand, their government at work,” Pearce told The Hill in a statement.

“Corporations and government agencies use remote work technology; it’s time that Congress does the same,” the New Mexico Republican said. He introduced the same resolution during the last congressional session. https://thehill.com/policy/technology/289947-republican-proposes-letting-lawmakers-work-from-home
https://thehill.com/policy/technology/289947-republican-proposes-letting-lawmakers-work-from-home

Rep. Steve Pearce (R-N.M.) “virtual Congress” creation.

SAVE THE NATION
SAVE THE NATIONAL BUDGET:
SAVE THE ECONOMY

SEND SENATORS & REPRESENTATIVES HOME!!!!
Amber S. Owner of (973) 620-1504

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/democratic-national-convention-pushed-back-a-month-to-mid-august
Why are they pushing back the [D] convention?
COVID-19 concern or strategic for last minute change?
Change of Batter coming?
Why was she 'saved' from officially announcing?
Why was she 'reserved' for a last minute change?
How do you attempt to 'sneak one in'?
How do you attempt to ensure victory?
Adopt National Vote-by-Mail?
How do you convince American it was legitimate?
Release fake polls indicating favorable leads in swing states?
How do you harm opponents accomplishments re: economy, unemployment, ……………….?
How do you terminate opponents highly effective rallies?
How do you shelter [D] lead candidate from embarrassing debates and/or rallies?
How do you shelter [D] corruption re: FISA-RUSSIA-FLYNN-etc. from reaching the mainstream?
How do you extend the trade negotiation deadline w/ CHINA?
How do you limit [test] Constitutional rights of people?
How do you provide cover for State Govs to adopt new voter laws?
How do you effectively control the population?
How do you expand big tech overreach re: tracing / privacy issues?
How do you fix [taxpayer bailout?] the long-broken economies of CA & NY?
How do you enrich select people/co's by promoting a solution to a global crisis?
How do you keep people living in fear and isolation in order to accept the above?
Define 'insurgency'.
How do you accomplish all of the above?

The answer to the last batch of questions is, COVID-19.

Heed well, Fearbros.

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